This last weekend, God gave me a chance to see what it looks like to live with no plan. Relaxed wisdom was spoken. The focus was on Christ, while the world spun crazily around. By day three, my heart was ready to hear anything that God wanted to say. Instead, God stood silent and I bowed. This is a time of learning and waiting. I have much to learn about God, hearing His voice and spiritual discernment.
To the best of my ability, I want to focus on God's grace and love. Then I won't get in the way of His interactions with my people. Because it was my self righteousness and refusing to be disillusioned with the world that took my life.
There is something to be gained from realizing how far we are from glory to understanding the depth of love and grace extended by Christ. I have no shore, no success, nor goal in sight, but simply have the absolute certainty that everything is all right because I see Him walking on the sea. Choosing to be present in the minute to minute, the moments become precious. Confidence is easy in this position of complete reliance. ... Well, when I submit and trust Him ;)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Call to me (God) and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearable things you do not know.
As the David crowder band plays Glorious in the background, I read past highlighten verses in my Bible.
I am encouraged by the faith people possessed in the new testament. They asked the Lord boldly for things in faith that He was able to heal, save, and comfort them. Matt 5:6, 6:26, 7:11, 8:2, 19:26
I am challenged to be bold for what I believe. Matt5:16, 5:44, 13:22, 28:18-20
I am advised that my focus is to be on Christ. Matt 6:24, 6:33, 16:24, 19:21, 22:37
And reminded of the love of God. Matt 9:35-38: Jesus went through all the towns and vilages, teahing in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
I pray for the day that there will be no longer violence, the day that people would hear His words and rest. Then we will glorify the one who is Great!
I am encouraged by the faith people possessed in the new testament. They asked the Lord boldly for things in faith that He was able to heal, save, and comfort them. Matt 5:6, 6:26, 7:11, 8:2, 19:26
I am challenged to be bold for what I believe. Matt5:16, 5:44, 13:22, 28:18-20
I am advised that my focus is to be on Christ. Matt 6:24, 6:33, 16:24, 19:21, 22:37
And reminded of the love of God. Matt 9:35-38: Jesus went through all the towns and vilages, teahing in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
I pray for the day that there will be no longer violence, the day that people would hear His words and rest. Then we will glorify the one who is Great!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
A Rich Mullin's Journal Entry
Right now it is dusk and far in the east the sky is already being inked with the shadow that our earth makes of itself and some nearer stars are waking there. I am in a park in Indianapolis, and right now these great trees are casting no shadows; the greens of their leaves are holding the last rays of sun already set and the sky in the west is bright and turquoise and it shines like a semi-precious stone-- as if any stone could be "semi-precious."
And over all that I can see, over my motorcycle and the trunks and limbs of these hardwood giants, over this close-cut lawn and the now abandoned tennis courts and baseball diamonds, over the sky (still fading, still and newly exquisite) and over me, a great peace washes. It comes up from the ground and down from the heavens-- a deep peace breathed out by a universe that surrounds itself again to the embrace of its Creator-- its God, who is to be sought by His saints in the hours of early mornings but condescends to seek out even sinners at dusk and washes them at evening in the peace of His presence and throws round their shoulders the cloak of His acceptance and puts on their fingers the ring of His pleasure-- the pleasure He takes in them when He meets them here on the road even before they could get home, when He echoes is the evening the hymn He sang for them at dawn.
And over all that I can see, over my motorcycle and the trunks and limbs of these hardwood giants, over this close-cut lawn and the now abandoned tennis courts and baseball diamonds, over the sky (still fading, still and newly exquisite) and over me, a great peace washes. It comes up from the ground and down from the heavens-- a deep peace breathed out by a universe that surrounds itself again to the embrace of its Creator-- its God, who is to be sought by His saints in the hours of early mornings but condescends to seek out even sinners at dusk and washes them at evening in the peace of His presence and throws round their shoulders the cloak of His acceptance and puts on their fingers the ring of His pleasure-- the pleasure He takes in them when He meets them here on the road even before they could get home, when He echoes is the evening the hymn He sang for them at dawn.
Encouragement for Graduating and Life
All I have seen touches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
God can do anything, you know- far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! Epesians 3:20 Dream big with God.
Have courage to be who you wan tot be, do what you want o to and live your life true to you.
Embrace the richness of life. Let your dreams touch the sky. love the rue and wonderful you. Experence the world with amazement. See the wisdom in others. Respect where you are and never forget where you've come from. There is nothing but success ahead.
Dwell in possibility... - emily dickinson
And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
God can do anything, you know- far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! Epesians 3:20 Dream big with God.
Have courage to be who you wan tot be, do what you want o to and live your life true to you.
Embrace the richness of life. Let your dreams touch the sky. love the rue and wonderful you. Experence the world with amazement. See the wisdom in others. Respect where you are and never forget where you've come from. There is nothing but success ahead.
Dwell in possibility... - emily dickinson
And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Prayer Requests
Please Pray...
For my family as my grandpa prepares for surgery to place a feeding tube in his stomach.
For my grandmother as she makes decisions for my grandfather's health.
For good communication between everyone on my mother's side of the family as they discuss health care options for my grandparents.
For my mother as she provides home care for my grandfather- that God would protect her from injury and exhaustion both mentally and physically.
For my father as he continues to look for work.
For my brothers as they prepare for college- that they would both earn lots of money for school and that they would enjoy their summer break.
For my cousin that she would find a place to move to in town before she leaves for the Netherlands.
For myself- smooth transition and move into a new house come August, wisdom with continued education in Spanish- to take classes this summer or wait for fall, work- remember all that I need to know and that I would get enough hours to sustain me financially or that I would find a balance with other employment, missionary work- possible long term mission opportunity- that it would be God's timing and not just my desire to leave Eugene, iceaxemen- for continued relationship with the kids, schedule stress with dates weddings/ work/ school?
For my friends that they would continue to know and pursue knowledge of God
For my family as my grandpa prepares for surgery to place a feeding tube in his stomach.
For my grandmother as she makes decisions for my grandfather's health.
For good communication between everyone on my mother's side of the family as they discuss health care options for my grandparents.
For my mother as she provides home care for my grandfather- that God would protect her from injury and exhaustion both mentally and physically.
For my father as he continues to look for work.
For my brothers as they prepare for college- that they would both earn lots of money for school and that they would enjoy their summer break.
For my cousin that she would find a place to move to in town before she leaves for the Netherlands.
For myself- smooth transition and move into a new house come August, wisdom with continued education in Spanish- to take classes this summer or wait for fall, work- remember all that I need to know and that I would get enough hours to sustain me financially or that I would find a balance with other employment, missionary work- possible long term mission opportunity- that it would be God's timing and not just my desire to leave Eugene, iceaxemen- for continued relationship with the kids, schedule stress with dates weddings/ work/ school?
For my friends that they would continue to know and pursue knowledge of God
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Playing in the Water
The weather here in Eugene has been amazing lately. To escape the heat, I began to explore all the surrounding water holes. My conclusion: Fern Ridge- Best for saling, Dorena Lake- Best for hanging out, Triangle Lake Sliding Rocks- Best local escape (Unfortunately also super crouded and the Lake has poor public access), Mckenzie River- always good times and super clean.
July 8th Oswald Chambers
A person's will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will- I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God's Spirit. When God gives me a vision of the truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.
"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.." Your choice must be a deliberate determination- it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God- do not "confer with flesh and blood" about it (Gal 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading- the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, "I will be faithful." But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ. "You witnesses against yourselves..." (Joshua 24:22). Don't consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, "I will serve you." Will to be faithful- and give other people credit for being faithful too.
"Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.." Your choice must be a deliberate determination- it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God- do not "confer with flesh and blood" about it (Gal 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading- the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, "I will be faithful." But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ. "You witnesses against yourselves..." (Joshua 24:22). Don't consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, "I will serve you." Will to be faithful- and give other people credit for being faithful too.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Sell'n out to the world, yet you never let go
You want things, but you do not have them. So you are ready to kill and are jealous of other people, but you still cannot get what you want. So you argue and fight. You do not get what you want, because you do not ask God. Or when you ask, you do not receive because the reason you ask is wrong. You want things so you can use them for your own pleasures. So, you are not loyal to God! You should know that loving the world is the same as hating God. Anyone who wants to be a friend of the world becomes God's enemy. James 4:2-4
I am sad and tired. Make me strong again as you have promised. Psalm 119:28
I love you, Lord. You are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my protection, my savior. My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender. I will call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I will be saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3
Sometimes I wish I didn't have such a guilty conscious. Then I could have cheated, pierced and tattooed my body, travelled more, kissed and not cared. So, God I question myself maybe for self-pitty, but more I think because I question what I missed. I want to live life with not regret, yet I sit here wallowing in memory. I tell myself that it is in the past, so forget and move on. I know I can't change the past, yet I wonder how much it would mess up my future if I... was a little more passionate/ crazy/ radical and didn't follow the game plan.
I really want to live in Mexico and learn Spanish.
I am sad and tired. Make me strong again as you have promised. Psalm 119:28
I love you, Lord. You are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my protection, my savior. My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender. I will call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I will be saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3
Sometimes I wish I didn't have such a guilty conscious. Then I could have cheated, pierced and tattooed my body, travelled more, kissed and not cared. So, God I question myself maybe for self-pitty, but more I think because I question what I missed. I want to live life with not regret, yet I sit here wallowing in memory. I tell myself that it is in the past, so forget and move on. I know I can't change the past, yet I wonder how much it would mess up my future if I... was a little more passionate/ crazy/ radical and didn't follow the game plan.
I really want to live in Mexico and learn Spanish.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Just keep blundering along
It is when I am exhausted mentally and spiritually that I find I lose my desire to live. I am sure those moments of stupidity didn't help in my resolution either though. When I focus on the good, I had an amazing weekend. So, I am trying not to be frustrated with the fact that I forgot the gift for my friend in another person's car, not be disappointed for being kicked out of a beach party, being a burden to my friends for forgetting my wallet in Corvallis after traveling to Eugene, and for not knowing that an ARRT certification is different than a State license. Humbled again I end up right on my face wondering if karma is real and that tomorrow will be better. But I really don't believe in karma, only that God will continue to watch out for this fool.
God thank you for your grace. Bless the people that helped me. Give me clarity of thought next time.
My weekend really was wonderful. I got to do lots of traveling and get out of Eugene. I was in Milwaukie visiting my friend Bryne and helping her with wedding stuff. Listened to some blues at the festival in Portland. Had a glorious pillow fight in Corvallis then went to the beach to swim, play in the sand, drink a beer at Rouge, and watch fireworks. Slackline in Corvallis, pick strawberries, learn to sail at Fern Ridge and west coast swing dance in Eugene all to complete the weekend with a long drive with a great friend. -Thanks Nathan you are wonderful!
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